Thursday, December 30, 2010

This is a motto fashioned after an antique I have.....says it perfectly!
New Year Resolutions. I try not to think of the standards, diet and exercise....but go right to the fun stuff. New designs, new floss colors...new charts to do.....now we're talking! I have done 3 new designs this past few weeks and have two of them stitched and ready for finishing/framing. New photos will be posted soon. First I have to get out the sewing machine...which I thought I was done with.....

With the motto business I did 3 new patterns a week for the first year (and stitched each one for photos). Quite an accomplishment for arthritic hands. Now I hope to do a cross stitch pattern a week for the next year. It will be a slower process than the mottoes simply because I will have to do a chart too. I will offer them as chart only and some of them as kits.

I love the look of stitching on linen...but I need my models stitched quickly so I will stitched them on aida. I am not a patient person and want them finished NOW. Aida stitches so much faster for me and I still know a lot of people who prefer it simply because it is easier to see. Age related again....the eyes are the first thing to go when stitching!

I hope to be adding a lot of new primitive designs to the inventory as well as the Victorian mottoes. I like both....I decorate with both. I love a lacy Victorian bedroom filled with antiques. I also have a family room that reminds me of a general store! I always said I could live in a general store and be quite happy...maybe some day I will. I could be the crazy eccentric little old lady down the street......I think I am half way there.

I would like to wish each and every one of you a HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

So here it is ladies...my present to you...or one of you, as my thank you for the warm welcome to blogging. You gals are great! Now I will share....as I LOVE to do! I am giving 50 (20 yard) skeins, 1,000 yards of assorted colors of my over-dyed floss. Enough to stitch a beautiful flower garden or dozens of projects. I will have a second place prize to be announced at a later date.
Rules....simple. You need to be a follower of my blog. I will need your email address if you do not post it in your blog so please contact me with info so I can contact you if you win the drawing. The drawing will be Christmas day and I will make the announcement then. I will give you a chance to enter your name more than once...for every purchase of floss, charts or motto kits in December (either in my ebay store ...click on pictures at the bottom of the page to go to the store....or through me and paypal), I will put your name in again. If you buy through ebay you need to tell me (in the note to seller) your blogger name. So this is my Christmas present to you. Thanks again for the VERY warm welcome to blogging!
Nancy

Santa said he just found a gift in his bag for second place!!!

No Place Like Home motto sampler chart for cross stitch and 15 skeins of my over-dyed floss. The second name drawn will receive this gift from The Motto Shoppe.

Wait...Santa is saying he still sees something down in the bag......I keep telling him I can't hear what he is saying with his head down in the bag.....he just yelled he found a gift for 3rd place!

I still can't hear him....

HE MADE IT!!!! Floss in Christmas red, cranberry, green, gold......15 SKEINS OF FLOSS AND A MOTTO CROSS STITCH CHART FOR 3RD NAME DRAWN CHRISTMAS DAY. THANK YOU SANTA!!!!

A friend asked me to give her a hint of what was in the give-away...I told her 10 skeins, 200 yards of floss would be nice...but not near nice enough. 20 skeins, 400 yards of floss would be nice...but not near nice enough. I thought 30 skeins, 600 yards of floss would be more generous...but not generous enough.......

Tomorrow I will announce the details of the Christmas floss give-away....I think you are going to love this one.....everyone who is signed up as a follower of my blog will have a chance to win. Here comes Santa Claus....Here comes Santa Claus.........
Nancy

Monday, November 29, 2010

I often have requests for custom mottoes. A gentleman emailed me to say he wanted a motto with an antique steam engine in it...and the motto to read Train up a child in the way he should go. They are expecting their first child. I love to do custom mottoes...some are more challenging than others as you can imagine. I did this pattern in a couple hours, transferred it to the perforated paper (secret recipe) and had it stitched in less than 7 hours. That is what I love about working on perforated paper with these mottoes because you just fill in between the lines...the satin stitch I use on my mottoes stitches so quickly! I am not a patient person...just ask my family...no, better not....lets not go there...back to the motto...the kits are easy and fun to stitch. I did counted cross stitch for 30 years...giving my age away....and I wanted a quicker way to stitch. Perforated paper mottoes were the answer for me. I recently started doing charts for my motto samplers and will be adding them to my inventory all next year. Making charts is time consuming to say the least...but I wanted to offer charts for all the cross stitchers.
Train motto is stitched with my over-dyed floss. Very subtle changes in these colors as per the customers request.

I just thought I would share my latest project with you and explain a little about stitching on perforated paper if you havn't tried it. Thanks for "listening"!

I appreciate the warm welcome I am receiving from all you ladies...it is greatly appreciated as you are. I will show my appreciation soon...with a floss give-away. Now I need to think of something great....after all...it's almost Christmas!
Nancy

I guess I will start at the beginning and tell you about my floss. When I first started selling my motto kits I was using over dyed floss from other companies. The dye lots were so inconsistant that I thought I could do better. I have dyed floss for about 4 years now....I do limited editions so I am always adding new colors.

I wanted to offer affordable floss to my friends and customers. I thought $2-3 for 4-10 yards of floss was too much....and I wanted to offer a generous amout of floss so I did 20 yard skeins for $2 each. Money isn't the most important thing to me.....people are. My decision was a good one...and I have a lot of gals who buy my floss on a regular basis.

After I get this blog all sorted out...and it will take a little while so please be patient with me....I will start to do some give-aways with floss. I love to share!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

I have had many requests to start a blog so here I go...trying to find the time will be a challenge as I already work 7 days a week! I have met so many dear friends all over the globe and I thank them for the inspiration that they have given me. I hope we can have a great time together on the blog.

Ultimate Floss Collection

The Primitive Sampler Floss Collection

My Soul is Fed by Needle and Thread

Gift Boxed Floss sets $27.95 and up

order direct for above price, ebay higher

Patience Sampler

16x20 frame

Welcome Spring

chart with 10 pages $14.99

Thy Hearthstone's Steady Glow

Chart w/10 pages $14.99

Harmony Quaker Pattern

Copyright Notice

All items in this blog are my own copyright protected designs.Any use of pictures or text without purchasing the pattern or having my permission is a violation of copyright laws. I thank you for respecting my rights.

About Me

I am a self-employed designer who started The Victorian Motto Shoppe 12 years ago on eBay. I wanted to share my love for the mottoes with my motto sampler kits. After the first year I expanded to add over dyed floss, hand carved frames, hand dyed ric rac, lace and trims. I've added counted cross stitch charts and hand dyed linens to my ever-growing inventory. Most important, I would like to be remembered for my love of life, my love of friends and my love of sharing with others.